Lake County, Indiana
Located in Indiana, Lake County has a population of 500,379 residents and a median age of 39.7 years, making it the #145 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 14.3%. The median home value is $230,600, and the median household income is $71,493, which is 5% below the national median.
Demographics
Lake County has a population of 500,379, making it the #145 most populous county in the US. The median age is 39.7 years, which is 2.1% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Lake County is $71,493, ranking #1,087 out of 3,222 counties — 4.9% below the national median. The poverty rate is 14.3% and unemployment stands at 6.1%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Lake County is $230,600 (-18.2% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,131/mo and the homeownership rate is 71.7%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Lake County, 25.8% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 23.4% below the national average, ranking #1,140 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Lake County is 74.3 years. 19.6% of adults report poor or fair health and 7.7% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
16.9% of adults in Lake County smoke , 38.1% are obese , and 17.2% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 39.4 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Lake County is 17.1 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 11.8 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 10.8 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
20.0% of children in Lake County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 7.9 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 18.0 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Lake County is 61.4%. The mean commute time is 31.5 min, which is 14.1% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Lake County voted Democratic with a margin of 5.6%. The vote was 52.1% Dem / 46.5% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 9.5 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Lake County, Indiana
Lake County, Indiana has a total population of 500,379, making it the 145th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Lake County is 39.7 years, which is 2.1% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Lake County is $71,493, which ranks #1,087 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 4.9% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 14.3%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 6.1%.
The median home value in Lake County is $230,600, 18.2% below the national median. Renters in Lake County pay a median gross rent of $1,131 per month. The homeownership rate is 71.7%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Lake County, 25.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 23.4% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 93.4% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 31.5 min.
Lake County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 51.4% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (22.7%) and Hispanic or Latino (20.9%).
All data for Lake County, Indiana comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.